"Creme (2005) notes that [when we ask teaching students to write a reflective journal] we require more than a personal voice: we ask our students to open themselves up in the process of writing on very personal experiences, which means being honest and authentic in what they write. This involves taking a risk in the content they write" (Pavlovich 2007:285). This blog is a candid reflection on my experiences as a trainee teacher, to only include good experiences would not be truly reflective or representative of my experience.

Channel 4 Last Chance School

If you missed it, this is worth a watch whoever/wherever/whatever you teach or are going to teach. The trained eye will spot some classic examples of behaviour management and engagement activity and also some essential traditional school rule bending.

There are a few more education related fly on the wall type documentaries coming up including Educating Yorkshire One Year On. A one off catching up with the kids from the award winning series due to be aired on Channel 4 on 21st August 2014. Click this link for more info

Then the same team move on to bring us a brand new series of the same ilk, Educating the East End (I think is its official title although some reports are calling it Educating Walthamstow). Whatever it’s called, it is a series due to start on Channel 4 very soon set in a secondary school in Walthamstow (of course) so watch out for it.

If you’re studying your PGCE and looking at a placement or a future in Secondary or FE these are really interesting programmes to watch… with eyes wide open watching and listening to the kids as much as the teachers.